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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Alex Eala displays poise, edges Fesch for first Italian Open win

Alex Eala displays poise, edges Fesch for first Italian Open win

Published May 6, 2026 07:39 pm

At A Glance

  • With the match knotted at 4-4 in the third and deciding set, both players, who were also tied 40-all in the ninth game, engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth and traded advantages before Eala pierced through a blazing forehand winner to take the 5-4 lead.
Photo courtesy of Alona Cochon
Photo courtesy of Alona Cochon

Alex Eala displayed steely nerves and overcame a tough challenge from Magdalena Fesch 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to notch her first-ever win in the WTA100 Italian Open on Wednesday, May 6.

The 20-year-old Filipina seemingly lost steam after an impressive opening set but recovered just in time to turn back her Polish rival and avoid another early exit on the clay court.

With the match knotted at 4-4 in the third and deciding set, both players, who were also tied 40-all in the ninth game, engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth and traded advantages before Eala pierced through a blazing forehand winner to take the 5-4 lead.

That proved to be the turning point of the contest as Eala forced Frech to commit three consecutive errors in the endgame to complete the big win.

With the win, Eala already bested her previous showing in the Italian Open last year where she lost, 0-6, 1-6, to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the first round. She also bounced back from the tough 2-6, 1-6 loss to Elise Mertens in the Madrid Open just two weeks ago.

Coming off a week-long break, Eala found her rhythm early, dismantling an error-prone Frech in a clinical love set to open the contest.

Eala actually had a slow 15-40 start but got her bearings going, scoring the next four points to take the first game of the match. Eala did not look back from there as she bageled her Polish rival, capping the stunning opening set with another forehand winner.

Eala, however, wasn't as sharp in the second set, falling behind early, 0-3. 

The Filipina held her serve in the fourth game to finally get into the scoring column — a momentum she carried over to the next as she broke Fresch’s serve to cut the deficit to 2-3.

The Polish veteran, however, was hardly rattled as she took care of the next two games to widen the gap before eventually tying the match.

Related Tags

Alex Eala WTA 1000 Italian Open
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